LeBron James' shrewd contract decisions will push his career earnings past $400 million

When LeBron James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014, he
raised some eyebrows by signing what was essentially a one-year
deal. Two years later, we are starting to see the genius
behind the move and why James will probably do it again.

If James had signed a full, max-level contract his first year in
Cleveland, it would have been worth roughly $88 million over four
years with annual raises of 4.5%. Instead he signed a one-year
contract with a player option for a second year that he opted out
of. He then signed a similar deal last summer, a contract he will
almost certainly opt out of again.

If James waits until the summer of 2017 to sign a long-term
contract, he will then be eligible for the largest of NBA
contracts (aka Full Bird Rights): a five-year contract with
7.5% annual raises. More importantly, that deal would be based on
a much larger salary cap, which is now being projected to go sky high. Based
on those projections, James could be eligible for a five-year
contract worth more than $211 million.

Here is what his career earnings would have looked like at the
end of a long-term contract with the Cavs depending on when it
started. By waiting until 2017 for a long-term deal, James'
career earnings will eclipse $400 million by 2022.